Episode 120: Valerie Harper
When Valerie Harper shows up unexpectedly on ''The Muppet Show, she begs Kermit to let her do a big opening number. Statler and Waldorf are so impressed with Valerie's beauty that they start to fight over which one of them will get to pursue her, and they finally decide to flip for her. Statler wins by flipping himself into the air, then goes backstage to woo her with some smooth talk and an African berry bush that grows three feet an hour (more if it rains!). Unfortunately, while Statler waits to see Valerie, George the Janitor waters the plant, which grows and grows until it takes over the whole backstage area. After Valerie's closing number with the Clodhoppers, Statler finally gets a chance to ask her out on a date. Valerie, a vegetarian, politely declines his offer of a steak dinner but considers noshing on the potted offspring of the berry bush that he gives her. During the closing scene, Fozzie gets a rare opportunity to get back at Statler and Waldorf for their heckling. He plays the part of a bouncer, removing Statler from the stage. Songs/Sketches * "Broadway Baby" * The Swedish Chef: Japanese Cake * Muppet News Flash: "Man Turns into Rug" * Rowlf's Poetry Corner: "The Butterfly" * At the Dance * UK Spot: "Tit Willow" * "Searchin'" * "On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)" * Muppet News Flash: "Blank Paper" * "Nobody Does It Like Me" Episode Notes * This is Season One's most forward-looking episode, prefacing the developments of the next season. It begins with the scripted "spontaneity" of Valerie arriving at the theater and asking if she can do the opening number. She then "auditions" an elaborate number backstage, complete with quick costume changes. The sense that the Muppets don't know exactly what they're doing until they do it is an important part of the show's "controlled chaos" aesthetic, but this is the only episode in the first season where that's a major element. *Even though the then-newly rebuilt Sam the Eagle puppet appears in the UK Spot, the version of Sam the Eagle from Sex and Violence is used in the intro for Wayne and Wanda. * In the last episode's At the Dance sketch, the Blue Frackle danced in drag with Miss Kitty. In this episode, the Blue Frackle appears as normal, but his partner, the Green Frackle, is in drag. In both instances, he ends up headless. Exceptionnally, Mildred's partner is Dr. Teeth, instead of George the Janitor. * This is Statler's first appearance backstage. He and Waldorf would later appear backstage in episode 517, in which they run The Muppet Show. * Statler reveals to Kermit that he had dated "Hayes, Langtry, and Barrymore." Kermit assumes this to mean Helen Hayes, Lillie Langtry, and Ethel Barrymore, but Statler corrects him. It was actually Lionel Barrymore that he dated. *The three-headed monster, Tom, Dick, and Harry, makes his second and last appearance. The three heads get their names in this episode : three male names, although in the last episode, it was revealed that one of the three heads was a "she". Cast Muppets: :Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Rowlf the Dog, Statler and Waldorf, George the Janitor, The Swedish Chef, Japanese Cake, The Newsman, Animal, Red-Haired Female Whatnot dancer, Herman, Loud Female Whatnot dancer, Zoot, Janice, Dr. Teeth, Mildred Huxtetter, Frackles, Sam the Eagle, Floyd Pepper, Mary Louise, Hilda, Bernie, Wayne, Wanda, The Clodhoppers, "Searchin'" Whatnot singers Background Muppets: :Miss Piggy, Scooter, Tom, Dick, and Harry, Big Hand, Butterflies, Baseball Bat, Tarzan (unseen) Referenced Characters: :Bertha Beasley and Her Galloping Geese Performers :Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Rowlf the Dog, Waldorf, the Swedish Chef, the Newsman, Dr. Teeth, and a Clodhopper :Frank Oz as Fozzie Bear, George the Janitor, Animal, Mildred Huxtetter, Sam the Eagle, Mary Louise, and a Clodhopper :Jerry Nelson as Floyd Pepper, Herman, and the Loud Female Whatnot dancer :Richard Hunt as Statler, Wayne, the Japanese Cake, and the "Searchin'" Whatnot singers :Dave Goelz as The Great Gonzo, Zoot, and Blue Frackle :Eren Ozker as Hilda, Wanda, Janice, Female Green Frackle, and the Red-Haired Female Whatnot dancer :John Lovelady as Bernie Gallery Harper01.jpg Valerieharper.jpg Poem by Rowlf behindthescenes.jpg __NOWYSIWYG__ 120